


Salty Boys & Tricksters

by TwilaFrost



Series: Living Tattoo Soulmate AU [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26080522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilaFrost/pseuds/TwilaFrost
Summary: In a world of soulmates, Kuroo is excited to meet his own. While he waits, Taka, his lovingly named dino mark, keeps him company.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Series: Living Tattoo Soulmate AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1966984
Comments: 22
Kudos: 347





	Salty Boys & Tricksters

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that my description of the soulmate "marks" isn't confusing.
> 
> Kuroo Wekek 2020 Day 6: Soulmates

Kuroo wakes up on his sixteenth birthday to find he has manifested his living tattoo in the form of a cute green long-necked dinosaur (he has no idea what type it is) on his right arm. Bolting from his bed, he rushes to get a better look in a mirror. 

In this world, everyone has a soulmate. On the elder of the pair’s sixteenth birthday, they manifest an animal that represents their soulmate on either arm. This “tattoo” however, is unlike any other phenomena. It is like a living, 2D moving picture on a person’s skin. It has a colored aura depending on the person’s strong emotions and feelings, changes facial expressions, and reacts with the world around it though not physically. For example, it can “hear” and “see” and therefore interact via movements on the skin. They live only on the appendage they appear on and can move along it. 

Kuroo is absolutely delighted by his new lifelong companion and immediately decides to name him Taka. He pats the little dino on the head with his index finger, to which it ducks away and runs around on his bicep. Kuroo can’t wait to show everyone at school! Ah, he has to text Kenma and Bokuto! 

He snaps a picture of Taka, who looks to be glaring at the camera and sends it to both of his friends. Bokuto got his two months ago on his own sixteenth birthday. Kuroo isn’t sure how many pictures he got of the beautiful snowy owl on his friend's arm. 

Bokuto’s reply is almost instantaneous.

**Brokuto**  
Hey hey hey! Bro he’s so cute! Look at that little grumpy face! 0.0

Kenma doesn’t reply until he’s already on his way to school.

**Kenkat**  
Cool. 

He wonders what Kenma’s will be when he gets it next year. Kuroo also wonders what kind of animal appeared on his soulmate’s arm this morning. Maybe a cat? Hopefully, he will find out soon.

When he proudly displays his dino to the volleyball team later that day, neither Kai nor Yaku seem all that impressed. Kuroo finds this completely unfair as he’s the last one to get his tattoo friend, so he rightfully pouts throughout practice. 

As time passes, Kuroo feels that he has a rough idea of what his soulmate must be like. Taka doesn’t smile often, but he always bobs his head to the beat when music is playing. When he has an aura it is usually that of yellow, brown, or orange. Kuroo worries about this. Is his soulmate alright? 

He’s done research about the type of dinosaur he has, but the most he’s been able to deduct is that it’s some type of sauropod. Although he’s slightly disappointed in his lack of dinosaur knowledge, Taka is adorable regardless. He imagines what his soulmate would look like with that judgemental glare. Precious. 

It’s in his second year that he gets a barrage of text messages from Bokuto. The first few are basically noncoherent jumbles of letters. However, as someone who considers himself fluent in Bokuto, Kuroo manages that his friend has met his soulmate. This proves true when he receives a picture of Bokuto with a very attractive boy with steel-blue eyes and wavy black hair sporting a great horned owl on his arm. Damn. What a lucky bastard. 

Apparently, his name is Akaashi Keiji and is the volleyball team’s new setter. Bokuto’s little owl soul must have ascended. Kuroo is happy for his friend and can’t wait to meet Akaashi at a practice match, but he can’t help but be jealous. 

In October, Kenma gets a tiger on his left arm. That same day Yamamoto comes to practice with an orange tabby. It’s easy to deduce the two are soulmates. By this time, they have both settled their differences and Yamamoto has even dyed his mohawk blonde to match Kenma’s own hair. Kuroo’s not even surprised. 

He’s glad his best friend has found the person that is meant to complete him already. But again, Kuroo grows anxious about when he will find his own soulmate. Taka seems to just smirk at him in that infuriatingly cute way. What a little shit.

When third-year starts, Yaku is the only other person who has yet to meet his soulmate. Though that quickly changes when Lev Haiba joins the team with all his giant gangly limbs. Yaku is appalled. Kuroo laughs his hyena laugh. It’s good fun until Lev calls him the Forever Alone Senpai. Yaku, that little gremlin, actually laughs. Kuroo pouts through practice for the first time since first year.

The team is informed that they will be having a practice match with Karasuno, a team from Miyagi that Nekoma once had a fierce rivalry with before they fell from grace. Kuroo is excited for the opportunity to see what the team has to offer. 

When they arrive at the gym, Taka starts running around his bicep. He only does that when he’s A. Trying to be a little shit or B. Excited. Maybe his soulmate is excited? The little dino is exuding a light shade of green as well. This makes Kuroo smile. It’s not often that his other half shows much emotion, especially on the positive spectrum. 

The match goes well, all things considering. Nekoma wins (obviously), but Karasuno gave it a good fight. Plus, the two teams get along well. Scoping out the crows, he spots two pairs of soulmates. Their captain and vice-captain and their ace and libero. None of the first years appear to have a mark yet, although the tall blonde is wearing a long sleeve compression shirt. 

Taka keeps hiding under his sleeve, only poking his head out every now and then. It’s not unusual behavior, as the little dino is rather shy around new people. Though Kuroo swears he feels a slight pull towards the blonde boy. He only says a few words to him, to which he is ignored. The attitude really reminds him of Taka, but he’s unable to investigate further before they have to head back to Tokyo. 

In July, they hold their annual training camp. Karasuno is in attendance this year. Kuroo notices that the freak duo have joined the soulmate ranks with their complementing black eagle and vibrant hummingbird. Again, Kuroo isn’t surprised. 

Later that night, he’s practicing with Bokuto and Akaashi in the third gym, and they manage to get Karasuno’s tall middle blocker, Tsukishima, to join them. The whole time, Taka is restless. He keeps fluctuating between shades of green and yellow. Kuroo notices that the first year has given Taka a few long glances. Kuroo swears he sees a fluffy tail peeking out from under the blonde’s long sleeve. 

At the end of their practice, Kuroo manages to royally piss off Tsukishima. Taka also appears angry as he has a red aura so bright, his entire body seems to flush with the color and stomps his little feet. Is that a coincidence or…? Either way, he needs to apologize. Then he can get to the bottom of this.

He says goodbye to Bokuto and Akaashi before racing out after the first year. Although Taka appears pissed he keeps signaling with his head. Deciding not to question it, Kuroo follows the dino’s directions. 

On a hill, he spots Tsukishima sitting with his forearms on his knees. Kuroo approaches and sits next to him. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. I went too far back there. I was just trying to provoke you. I didn’t mean to upset you like this.”

Tsukishima just hums in acknowledgment. Kuroo glances down to see that Taka is now a pale orange instead of red. This is another color he is familiar with. Insecurity. This can’t just be a coincidence anymore, right?

He sees Tsukishima staring at Taka intently. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he mumbles. 

“What?” Does Tsukishima have the same suspicions, too?

“Do you know what type of dinosaur that is?” When Kuroo shakes his head, Tsukishima says, “It’s a saltasaurus.” 

Well, Taka is a very salty boy. Kuroo decides to show off his pride and joy since Taka seems to have caught the blonde’s interest. “His name’s Taka. Isn’t he the cutest?” Kuroo beams and scratches where the dino’s head is on his skin. 

Tsukishima snorts and Taka has an amused look on his face. “Taka. How creative.”

“I think it suits him. You wouldn’t happen to have one, would you?”

After he asks, a small paw reaches out onto the back of Tsukishima’s hand. “I do. And he’s an annoying piece of shit.” He rolls up his left sleeve to reveal a dark-colored tanuki with the fluffiest fur on its head. The tanuki looks to be smirking, very pleased with himself. 

Kuroo is extremely amused. “Is that why you always wear long sleeves?”

“Yes. He tries to distract me all the time,” Tsukishima glares at the tanuki. “One time he got me in trouble for supposedly cheating on an exam.” 

Kuroo can’t help but laugh at that. “Taka did something similar, but we didn’t get caught.”

“At least he helps you. Loki was trying to signal the wrong answer deliberately!”

“Oho, so Loki’s his name? And you say I’m uncreative.”

Tsukishima’s cheeks flush with a slight pink and bumps Kuroo’s shoulder with his own, “Oh shut up.” They sit in companionable silence. It’s obvious that they have acknowledged each other as their respective soulmate. Nothing more really needs to be said to confirm it.

“You know, now that I think about it, didn’t Chibi-chan call you Saltyshima?”

His answer is a groan, “Now you see why I’m appalled at the universe’s choices?”

“I find it highly amusing,” Kuroo can’t stop grinning. He has two salty boys now.

“God, you’re going to annoy me just as much as Loki, aren’t you?”

“For the rest of your life,” he takes Tsukki’s hand in his own. 

The two teens remain cuddled together on the hillside with their right and left arms pressed against each other. Taka and Loki curl up as close as they can to their counterpart, content with the ending of the day.


End file.
